Oncotarget

Exploring the impact of MTAP loss on purine synthesis in metastatic breast cancer patients, analyzing genomic alterations and treatment strategies based on a recent study.

Oncologist and researcher Mikhail V. Blagosklonny discusses using antagonistic drug combinations to protect normal cells while targeting drug-resistant cancer cells for improved treatment outcomes and reduced side effects.

Researchers Dillon P. Boulton and M. Cecilia Caino discuss the role of mitochondria in promoting tumor growth, especially in prostate cancer. They highlight the need for therapeutic options for metastatic PCa and the development of resistance to androgen axis therapies. The podcast explores a novel signaling pathway involving a specific mitochondrial protein that could be an actionable target in tumors.

A new review paper on the HALP Score in cancer research discusses its impact as a prognostic biomarker, highlighting its correlation with survival rates, treatment outcomes, and demographic factors across different cancer types.

A new editorial paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on February 11, 2023, entitled, “Unveiling the non-canonical functions of EZH2 in prostate cancer.” Prostate cancer (PCa) is ranked as the second leading cause of cancer-related death among American men excluding skin cancer. In this new editorial, researchers Yang Yi, Yanqiang Li, Kaifu Chen, and Qi Cao from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine discuss a well-known oncogenic driver in PCa: enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)—canonically known for the functions as the catalytic subunit of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) that deposes histone H3 lysine 27 mono, di-, and tri-methylation (H3K27me1-3) and represses transcription. “Although the oncogenic role of EZH2 mainly relies on its enzymatic activity and the PRC2, accumulating evidence suggests that targeting the lysine methyltransferase activity of EZH2 alone is ineffective in treating EZH2-dependent malignancies including PCa [4, 5].” Hence, deeply investigating the multifaceted tumorigenic functions of EZH2 will shed new light on understanding the etiology of PCa. It is noteworthy that two recent studies published in Nature Cell Biology and Oncogene by Yi et al. described previously unrecognized roles of EZH2 in regulation of translation and coactivation of transcription, respectively. In both cases, EZH2 exerts oncogenic functions independently of PRC2 and H3K27me3 to promote tumorigenesis and aggressiveness in PCa. “In summary, both articles by Yi et al. emphasized the significance of non-canonical functions of EZH2 during PCa development, which may provide novel insights into the advancement of EZH2-targeting strategies to treat PCa patients. In fact, a new wave has been ushed for the discovery of EZH2 inhibitors to eliminate both the catalytic and non-catalytic activities of EZH2 [12–14]. Will these newly developed EZH2 degraders be successfully applied in PCa therapy? Will additional noncanonical functions of EZH2 be characterized in the PCa model? Let’s eagerly wait and see.” Full editorial: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28357 Correspondence to: Qi Cao - qi.cao@northwestern.edu Keywords: EZH2, prostate cancer, FBL, CDCA8, E2F1 Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28357 Keywords - EZH2, prostate cancer, FBL, CDCA8, E2F1 About Oncotarget Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed. To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Media Contact MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM 18009220957

Researchers discuss the role of Kras and canonical Wnt pathways in biliary tract cancers, highlighting the importance of understanding molecular mechanisms for developing effective therapies. Despite low survival rates, new research explores potential therapeutic targets and the impact of these pathways on biliary-tracked cancers.

The podcast discusses the challenges of treatment de-intensification in WNT pathway medulloblastoma, focusing on age groups and TP53 mutations.

Researchers from University of California San Diego discuss the critical exon breakpoints in FGFR3-TACC3 fusion protein, highlighting the importance of exons 13-16 and 5 heptads from exon 13 for its oncogenic activity. Potential therapeutic targets for FGFR3-TACC3 related cancers are also examined.

Yuri Lazebnik discusses cell fusion linking SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to COVID-19 complications and vaccine side effects. Other topics include TCR function evaluation, targeting IL-37 in liver cancer, and innovative cancer research studies.

Researchers discuss the identification of rare ATR variants in male breast cancer susceptibility using exome sequencing and functional analysis in extreme phenotype cases.